Podcast Interview Information

Hey there! I’m so excited to work with you.

Here is everything you need to know for our upcoming podcast interview.

If you have not yet reserved a time for our chat, email me at thescooponbalance@gmail.com.

Below you’ll find a variety of topics I can discuss based on the books I have written.

If we’ve already decided on a topic, you can scroll to the bottom of the page where I’ve included my bio, headshot, and links to connect with me.

You have my expressed permission to copy anything off this page to use for promotional materials related to our discussion.

In this curated and updated collection of essays written on my blog from 2008 to 2019, I guide moms through my parenting journey spanning 25 years. I speak candidly about the good, the bad, and the excruciatingly difficult–but I also wrap it beautifully in empathy and grace and humor and hope.

This book is divided into three parts: The Baby/Toddler/Preschool Years, The Elementary School Years, and The Middle School/Teen Years. This is the perfect book for moms with kids still in the home, infants through high school.

I’ve created a fun and free quiz related to this book for your listeners! It’s called “Hey Mom! What’s Your Superpower?” Find it at https://thescooponbalance.com/quiz/

Topics

Topic #1– Letting Go of Expectations: The death of my first son shattered my expectations of how family and faith should look. That tragedy opened the door to continue building my family through adoption and drove me to rely solely on Jesus to sustain me. In this topic, I discuss how our parenting expectations rarely align with reality, and I offer practical ways to respond when parenting has thrown you a curveball.

Topic #2 – Lies Moms Believe: We have a spiritual enemy who despises us. He is determined to steal our peace, our joy, and our hope. In this lesson, I uncover common lies the enemy speaks to moms. And then I offer Biblical truth to expose and expel each one.  Note: This topic is Scripture-heavy and will best serve your audience if it is primarily Christian and we have a full hour to chat.

Topic #3 – Mom, You’re Amazing (Even When Parenting is NOT): In my 25 years of parenting, I’ve endured the death of a child, a child diagnosed with Asperger’s and ADHD, a child diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety, child bullying, teen self-harm, a child with disordered eating/body image…on top of all the “normal” hard stuff of parenting. In this lesson, I offer practical guidance and wisdom for moms with kids in hard places.   

Topic #4 — How to Keep Your Cool When Your Child is Freaking Out: Nothing will trigger your anger like a child or teen throwing a tantrum. It took years of focused, dedicated work for me to learn to stay calm and composed while my children freaked out. While I still have a long way to go, this has been one of my biggest areas of personal growth. In this discussion, I offer moms the six strategies I’ve adopted to help me remain composed when my child is melting down.

I will happily supply Suggested/Sample Questions once you choose a topic and tell me more about your audience. 

Do the voices in your head have you spinning in circles? Do you want to do the right thing, but aren’t sure what that is? How do you know God’s will for your life when your choices are not between “good and evil” but between “good and good”? How do you know if the voice in your head is God…or just you?

In this 8-lesson in-depth study of God’s word, I consult and apply hundreds of Bible passages related to hearing God’s voice to assure you that the God of the Bible is the God of today. He is not playing games or trying to keep you in the dark. He wants you to know Him and to know His will. He speaks, and you will know when He does.

Topics

Topic #1 – An Overview of God’s Motives and Methods for Speaking: God can speak any time He wants, in any way He wants, and to whomever He chooses. However, understanding God’s motives and methods is integral to recognizing God’s voice. In this topic, I discuss eight primary reasons and six primary methods He uses to speak to us. 

Topic #2 – The Five Keys to Becoming a Good Listener: Positioning ourselves to hear God (or what the Bible calls “inclining our ears to hear”) will not happen accidentally. Throughout Scripture we can look at the lives of people who heard God clearly and often. In this topic, we look closely at Moses, Elijah, Noah, David, Daniel, and Jesus. From them, we extract five main ways they positioned themselves to hear God. 

Topic #3 – The Other Voices: One of the most often-asked questions I receive is “Is the voice in my head God or just me?” (thus the title of this study!). Well, it turns out there are other voices, too! In this topic, we explore the voice of the flesh and the voice of evil spirits. We discuss what they sound like, how they are different from God’s voice, and the dos and don’ts of silencing them.

Topic #4 – When God is Silent: Sometimes we can’t hear God at all!  Maybe He is not saying anything. Maybe God is speaking and we’re not listening. In this topic, I discuss potential reasons we can’t hear God and what we can do in response to the silence. 

Suggested/Sample Questions

(I can suggest additional questions to adapt to your chosen topic(s) and your audience):

1. What event motivated you to write this book?
2. What role does the written word of God play in hearing the voice of God? 
3. Does God ever speak apart from Scripture?
4. You say in your study that God’s voice sounds like “peace.” Can you explain what “false peace” is? Why does using “peace” as a filter pose difficulty for those suffering from clinical depression and anxiety?
5. Does God speak through other people? How can we tell if someone who claims to hear God is actually speaking on God’s behalf? 
6. How does prophecy differ in the Old and New Testaments?
7. What does it mean when we can’t hear God or we still aren’t sure what voice we hear?
8. What is one practical way listeners can incline their ears to hear God’s voice better today?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Frazzled? Exhausted? Do the items on your to-do list outnumber the hours in your day? Do you struggle to balance your priorities with the countless obligations and expectations vying for your time? Does the idea of life balance seem so far-fetched that you’re starting to think it’s nothing but a big fat lie? Maybe you’re thinking about balance all wrong!

In this 11-lesson Bible study, you will gain the clarity and focus to do the right things at the right time so you can find the real balance you’ve been seeking.

I’ve created a fun and free quiz for your listeners related to this book called, “What’s Your Busyness Personality?” You can find it at https://thescooponbalance.com/quiz/ (scroll to the bottom of the quiz page for the busyness quiz)

Topics

Topic #1 — Defining Balance and Determining Priorities: Women feel pulled from every side, and some of them have given up on the whole concept of “balance” altogether. I’ll help your audience redefine “balance,” discover what the Bible says about priorities, and show them how to live all this out with confidence and reliance on Christ.

Topic #2 — The Comparison Trap: This is a universal barrier to balance for women!  I can help your audience understand the history of The Comparison Trap from a Biblical and cultural perspective, and offer practical action steps to free themselves from it completely.

Topic #3 — People Pleasing: Women often confuse “people-pleasing” with “Biblical servanthood.” I can help your audience distinguish the difference and show them how to set appropriate boundaries around their time and energy.

Topic #4 – Perfectionism: As a recovering Perfectionist, this topic is near and dear to my heart. I can teach your audience the roots of perfectionism, show them the difference between perfectionism and “Biblical excellence,” and give them tangible action steps for overcoming this barrier to balance.

Topic #5 – Busyness: Busyness has reached epidemic proportions. Truly, this overscheduled, exhausting pace affects every area of life. I can help your audience understand the roots of their own busyness and give them practical steps for taking control of their calendars, both now and in the future.

Suggested/Sample Questions:

(I can suggest additional questions to adapt to your chosen topic(s) and your audience):

1. What motivated you to write Finding Your Balance?
2. How has your perspective of balance changed over the years? How do you currently define balance?
3. What unique challenges face today’s women (as opposed to previous generations) that make it difficult for them to find their balance?
4. What are some of the biggest barriers to balance?
5. What do you think is at the root of comparison?
6. What is your number one tip for escaping the Comparison Trap?
7. Many women confuse “people-pleasing” with “Biblical servanthood.”  What’s the difference?
8. In Finding Your Balance, you help women overcome people-pleasing by identifying and replacing faulty mindsets. Can you give us an example of a faulty mindset and how we can replace it?
9. If you could offer one balance tip to every listener, what would that be?

Bio:

Sandy Cooper is a writer, podcaster, Bible study teacher, and professionally certified home chef. She has been a wife to Jon for over 28 years and is mom to Noah (deceased), Rebekah (23), Elijah (20), and Elliana (15). She has been encouraging women since 2008 at thescooponbalance.com and podcasts weekly at The Balanced MomCast from her home office in Florida, where she lives with her family. 

Headshots:

Links:

For all quizzes: https://thescooponbalance.com/quiz/

Website: https://thescooponbalance.com/

The Balanced MomCast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-balanced-momcast-with-sandy-cooper/id1455524599

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TheScoopOnBalance/

Email: thescooponbalance@gmail.com

Finding Your Balance on Amazon: https://amzn.to/36tjZD8 (affiliate link)

Is the Voice in My Head God or Just Me on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ld1Tof (affiliate link)

Mom, You’re Amazing! on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JHs0m4 (affiliate link)

I am no longer on social media. (I can talk about this, too!)